A Semblance of Failure
by The Flippant Writer
Summary: Not everyone can be so lucky.


A Semblance of Failure

Disclaimer: RWBY is the intellectual property of Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. I claim no ownership.

* * *

Grun Arbor stifled a sigh as he poured himself a cup of coffee. It was another day at the Semblance Support Group, where he acted as a therapist for those less fortunate.

One might ask why people with Semblances would need a support group. After all, they were practically super powers! Who would need support for being a badass? Well, reality isn't so fortunate.

Grun walked back and sat down in the circle of chairs in the middle of the room. In each chair was a person, all of them there for the exact same reason.

"I'm glad you're all here today," Grun said with a mostly sincere smile. "You've all recognized that you're facing a personal conflict and have come here to to find out how to cope."

Some of the members mirrored Grun's smile, though their's were tinged with sadness. Others chose to grumble angrily, not exactly pleased with _why_ they were there.

"So, it appears we have some new faces amongst us," he continued, "Why don't we start with introductions. Do I have any volunteers that want to show them how the introduction works?"

There was a moment of silence where each members looked at eachother, wondering who would be the first. Finally, a young man, fresh from his first year at the local Academy, raised his hand. Grun nodded at him, an encouraging smile on his face.

The young man stood up and shuffled his feet for a bit before finally speaking, "My name is Cobilt Gorman, and I...I have a useless Semblance..."

"Hi, Cobilt," everyone said in return.

Cobilt chewed on the inside of his cheek before continuing, "My Semblance is...well...upon its activation, I immediately know how much salt is in the room. Down to the last grain. And that...that's pretty much it."

He sat back down and hid his face in his hands. Grun felt for the kid. This was only his second meeting after washing out of the local Academy.

"Thank you, Cobilt," Grun said as a smatter of applause went up from the rest of the members. He then swept his eyes across the members, trying to decide which new member to pick out first.

"Let's see...how would...you there, Miss...?" Grun said, gesturing politely towards a shy young woman.

The girl jumped and stuttered for a second before finally answering softly, "O-Oh, um, I, uh, I'm M-Mauve. Mauve A-Alumina..."

"Alright Miss Alumina, would you like to introduce yourself?"

She looked conflicted for a second before slowly standing up and smoothing down the front of her simple, violet sundress.

"...Uh...H-Hello, everyone, I'm M-Mauve Alumina and I have a useless S-Semblance...," she said softly.

"Hi, Mauve," everyone intoned. Mauve swallowed thickly before continuing.

"M-My Semblance allows me t-to grow my hair out a-as long as I desire...uh, um..."

Mauve fretted for a few seconds longer before finally deciding to take a seat. Grun opened his mouth to thank her but was cut off by another, surlier woman.

"Well, that's sure as shit a better Semblance than mine," she grumbled. Several members rolled their eyes, while Grun just barely resisted doing so. Cari Marmara was especially bitter about her Semblance, and didn't waste a single opportunity to let people know it.

Mauve, on the other hand, took the bait perfectly.

"What d-do you mean?" she asked.

Cari rolled her eyes and lifted her hand, "I mean this."

Everyone cringed as they saw and _heard_ Cari's nails grow at an accelerated rate.

"Fucking Dust, Cari, stop doing that shit!" another member cried out. He was promptly ignored as Cari continued.

"And I can't even reinforce these with Aura, so they just-," she reached up and snapped a nail off. Another collective cringe went around. "-break off. Like, what's the fucking point of this Semblance?"

"Maybe you can use it as a backscratcher?"

Cari sneered at the one who made the quip, "Oh, you just think you're _so_ funny, don't you, Clancy?"

"At least I'm trying to make light of this, instead than sulking like a ghoulish bitch," Clancy shot back, sticking his tongue out at her afterwards.

The chair screeched as Cari shot up out of it. "Wanna say that again, numbnuts?"

Grun stood up, hoping to stop a fight from breaking out. Useless Semblance or not, these people still knew the basics of combat.

"Alright you two, that's quite enough," he said firmly. "Cari, we understand that you're frustrated but you need to start learning how to come to terms with this."

The surly woman glared at him before muttering, "Whatever," and sitting back down, snapping off the rest of her overgrown nails as she did so.

He then turned towards Clancy, "And Clancy, I appreciate the sentiment but we are here to _help_ our brothers and sisters, not make light of their situation."

Grun received a shrug in response, but it was clear that he wouldn't provoke Cari anymore. With a sigh, Grun sat back down.

"Alright, let's continue. You there, Mister...?"

The man Grun gestured to didn't waste any time. He jumped to his feet with a confident smile and began his introduction.

"The name's Perry, and I have a _unique_ Semblance," he bragged.

Caught off guard by the bravado this man introduced himself, no one returned his greeting. He wasn't deterred by the lack of reaction.

"My Semblance is...," there was a pause clearly meant for dramatic effect.

"..._Electromagnetism!_" he crowed smugly. He puffed out his chest and stood in place, as though waiting for an applause.

"Wait, you have _Electromagnetism_? Why the fuck are you here if you have such a kickass Semblance?" Cari asked.

There was hushed murmuring that reiterated Cari's question. Perry coughed into his fist, suddenly seeming a little more bashful.

"W-Well, it's not _exactly_ electromagnetism. I can only bend spoons...f-for now!" he said. He suddenly regained some of his previous bravado, "But eventually, I'll be able to crumple airships with just a flick of my wrist!"

There was a moment of silence.

"...Why is this dickhead here? He seems happy enough with a shit Semblance," Cari deadpanned. Clancy loudly coughed out the word 'Denial'.

Grun cleared his throat, "Well, Perry, it certainly seems you've..._begun_ the process of coping...sort of. Let's, uh...let's move on."

Another new member stood up without waiting to be called, "My name's Boyne, and I have a...well, I guess it's a useless Semblance."

"Hi, Boyne."

The young, pudgy man wringed his hands for a second, "My Semblance is...well...it allows me to end stories."

Everyone looked at him in confusion. Clancy decided to be the one to ask.

"Like...it allows you to read a book all the way through?"

Boyne shook his head, "No, I mean, I can literally end stories. It'd probably be better if I demonstrate."

He took a deep breath, "See, I activate my Semblance, like so-"

* * *

**A/N:**** Whoa! He wasn't kidding!**

**So, yeah, this was just to get myself back into the rhythm of writing again. Gonna start working on Legend of Jaune and Heart's Desires again. Tally-ho!**


End file.
